1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle armor system having a armored panels connected to a frame that is separate from the vehicle body structure.
2. Related Art
Conventional techniques for armoring street vehicles involve removal of the interior fittings, measuring the interior dimensions, fabricating a set of armor plates, and individually attaching the armor plates to the inside of the vehicle body structure. Armoring may be installed in various vehicle types, such as, for example, automobiles, vans, pickup trucks, and sport-utility vehicles (SUVs), and military vehicles, e.g., Jeeps, Humvees, etc. A fitting and installation for a typical vehicle may take 12 –14 weeks. Generally speaking, the armor must be assembled in the vehicle, rather than being preassembled, which increases the time the vehicle must be kept in the installation facility.
Conventional techniques are based on a weldment methodology or mechanical attachment, i.e., they rely on welding or attaching armor plates to an existing body structure of a vehicle, rather then providing an armor system having its own independent frame structure. However, the welding of armor plates directly to a vehicle body structure does not provide structural integrity independent of the vehicle structure, and therefore does not provide additional protection to vehicle occupants in the event of a collision or rollover. Nor does this approach facilitate preassembly of armor components outside of the vehicle.
Moreover, these conventional techniques do not include structural components designed to allow for movement of the armor plates, to absorb the kinetic energy of a ballistic impact or blast force. Rather, as discussed above, the armor plates are directly attached to the vehicle body structure, e.g., by welding or fasteners. Such static configurations increase the probability of failure of the armor components, such as ballistic penetration of the armor plate or detachment of the armor plate or fasteners from the vehicle body structure.
Conventional welding techniques include gas metal arc welding (GMAW), which is frequently referred to as “MIG” welding. MIG welding is a commonly used high deposition rate welding process in which wire is continuously fed from a spool. In gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), which is frequently referred to as “TIG” welding, an arc is formed between a non-consumable tungsten electrode and the metal being welded. Gas is fed through the welding torch to shield the electrode and molten weld pool. In flux cored arc welding (FCAW), as in MIG welding, wire is continuously fed from a spool. Self-shielding flux cored arc welding wires or gas shielded welding wires may be used.
Another conventional welding technique is shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), which is frequently referred to as “stick” or covered electrode welding. In stick welding, the flux covering the electrode melts during welding and forms gas and slag to shield the arc and molten weld pool. The slag is chipped off the weld bead after welding. Resistance spot welding (RSW), resistance seam welding (RSEW), and projection welding (PW) are commonly used resistance welding processes. Resistance welding uses the application of electric current and mechanical pressure to create a weld between two pieces of metal. In these techniques, weld electrodes conduct the electric current to the two pieces of metal as they are forged together. Brazing is a joining processes where parts are joined without melting the base metals, using filler metals melt above 840° F.
Armor plates may be fabricated from heat-treated, dual-hard steel, which has different hardness properties from one side to the other. The “hard” side of the dual-hard steel must be installed to face outward from the vehicle, i.e., must be the impact side of the plate. However, welding must be done on the “soft” side of the dual-hard steel, to avoid weld failure. Consequently, fasteners often must be used to attach the dual-hard steel plates to the vehicle body structure in conventional armoring techniques. Such fasteners may become secondary projectiles during a ballistic or blast event.